Bike mechanic James George, left, works on customer Arlo Paranhos' bicycle at University Bikes in Boulder on Monday. Part of the sixth stage twisted through downtown and by University Bikes, creating lots of foot traffic for the store.
(
MARK LEFFINGWELL
)

The sixth stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge contributed to a more than 13 percent jump in retail sales during the month of August in Boulder, city finance officials said.

Although a more comprehensive analysis of the race's effect on Boulder is due soon, the latest sales and use tax data provides some insight about the boost.

In August, the city collected $7.41 million in retail sales tax revenue, up more than $875,000 from the same month last year, according to the new sales and use tax revenue report. That $875,000 translates to more than $25 million taken in by Boulder retailers and restaurants.

When combining revenue from sales tax with use tax -- including taxes from construction projects and business property purchases -- the city posted an increase of 1.1 percent. The revenue stream from sales and use taxes remains just shy of city projections of 1.3 percent for the year.

Just how much of those August gains can be attributed to the Aug. 25 Golden-to-Boulder County stage of the race remains to be seen. Additional analysis of the economic impact should come before the Boulder City Council within the next 30 days, finance officials wrote in the report.

Until that additional research is delivered, Mary Ann Mahoney, executive director of the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she did not want to venture a guess as to how much of that $25 million boost came from the race.

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"I want to be very, very conservative (in estimates)," she said, calling evaluating the effects of the first-time event "uncharted territory."

During August -- a month that included University of Colorado move-in and a couple of conferences -- occupancy rates at Boulder hotels increased 3.5 percentage points to 88.5 percent, she said.

The sales tax gains most likely reflect a continued rebound in Boulder's tourism sector, she said.

"It may be attributable to the leisure destination ... (people having) a little bit more confidence in the economy," she said.

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge helped drive some of that momentum, she said.

University Bikes, 835 Pearl St., appears to have realized the effects from the race in September, said Lester Binegar, general manager.

Part of the sixth stage twisted through downtown and by University Bikes, creating a bystander pool Binegar estimated at "five people deep." Binegar lauded the foot traffic on that day, but the sales didn't come through until later.

"The day of the race, our sales were down 20 percent from what a normal day would be," he said. "We feel like it all hit in September; our sales were up 20 percent in September."

That trend should continue, Binegar said, noting what he is seeing on his books and hearing anecdotally from the other bike shops in the city.

"We feel a bike boom is happening," he said. "It's Valmont Park, it's the race, it's Boulder in general and the outdoors. ... It's just a really strong year for selling bikes."

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